Chapter 202: Whispers of Mingsha: A Bold Reveal

Scalpers? Xiaoqing, if it’s a booking through scalpers, forget it! There are too many swindlers these days—it’s just not safe!

Professor Zhang, upon hearing Liu Shanshan’s words, hurriedly spoke up.

“Teacher, rest assured, this isn’t a scalper! If it were, then…”

Han Xiaoqing’s face flushed unexpectedly, and she fell silent.

“Alright, I’ll call and see if I can work something out.”

With that said,

she immediately grabbed the phone and left the office.

“Oh? Our Ice Goddess is…”

Seeing this,

the other teachers exchanged glances, sensing something was off. They weren’t fools—after all these years, they’d never seen Han Xiaoqing behave like this.

More importantly, being able to call and book a guesthouse at this hour meant that the contact inside Mingsha Tourism held significant clout; otherwise, Han Xiaoqing wouldn’t be so confident.

He must be at least a deputy director or someone of similar rank.

In reality, Han Xiaoqing wasn’t the only one dialing in hopes of a reservation; many who knew someone high up at Mingsha Tourism had also picked up their phones—yet their fate was already sealed.

The people they were trying to reach simply didn’t have as much influence in Mingsha as her contact did, making a booking virtually impossible under these circumstances.

Meanwhile, online

discussions about Mingsha Tourism were flooding the forums.

On one forum: “Mingsha Tourism’s big move is simply unbeatable!”

“Absolutely!”

“One word: amazing!”

“I underestimated Mingsha Tourism; they quietly built the Protectorate of West Liang over there.”

“That’s why Mingsha Tourism always impresses—you never know what they’ll pull off next.”

“And most importantly, the Yeguang Cup will be permanently housed in the Protectorate of West Liang. What does that tell us? It means the rebuilt structure will be almost identical to the historical one; no other decision would have been made.”

“This definitely calls for huge praise for Mingsha Tourism and the Su Province Cultural Relics Bureau.”

“Which makes it even more worthy of a visit!”

“Mingsha Tourism truly deserves a massive, glowing review—it’s worth every bit of effort I put into booking the guesthouse.”

“Hehehe, is there anyone left defending the film festival? Even if it’s popular, does it really measure up to this level?”

“Exactly! Better enjoy it over there!”

“And who cares about foreign big shots? In front of a top-tier national treasure, they’re nothing. Consider it lucky if the film festival isn’t trashed instantly.”

“Alright, everyone, let’s stop chatting—hasn’t Mingsha Tourism already announced that it opens today? Is anyone on site who can post a few pictures?”

At this point, someone was growing increasingly anxious.

“The Yeguang Cup filled with exquisite grape wine… someone really wants to see its splendor under the lights. Is it as enchanting as the poems say?”

“Seriously, is anyone on site? The organizers are calling!”

That comment triggered hundreds of replies, all demanding on-site photos.

But the outcome was bound to disappoint them.

Simply put,

the Mingsha guesthouse scene was packed—tourists were either scaling the city walls or rushing along the ancient buildings lining the riverbanks, leaving no time to post online.

And even while hurrying, some tourists couldn’t help but share their opinions.

“Mingsha Tourism truly operates in silence yet makes giant leaps!”

“No wonder they’re continuously building massive structures without informing anyone!”

“They must be aiming for that element of surprise.”

“In the future, Mingsha guesthouses won’t just be simple lodgings. With the Protectorate of West Liang and a top-tier artifact like the Yeguang Cup, it’s set to be a 4A attraction—and with a bit more refinement, a 5A project is inevitable.”

“Sometimes, I really admire Mingsha Tourism.”

“Of course, look at how they built an ancient street — even adding an inner river — just so the journey to the Protectorate isn’t dull.”

“They really put their heart into it!”

“Notice how this street’s Song Dynasty style distinctly differs from the grandiose aesthetics of movie franchises. It might not be as imposing, but its charm is uniquely delightful.”

“This trip to Mingsha is truly worth it—you actually get to see the real Yeguang Cup.”

“Don’t celebrate just yet—we need to hurry over there, as queues today are bound to be long.”

“Yeah, that guard mentioned the Protectorate can only hold around a thousand people, so once it’s full, they’ll implement a one-in, one-out policy.”

“I don’t care—today, even if I have to queue until nightfall, I must see the Yeguang Cup brimming with fine wine.”

“Same here!”

While chatting, a tourist finally mentioned the Qingming Scroll.

But all their attention was on the Yeguang Cup, leaving no room to appreciate the street’s architecture; they assumed the street was built solely for the Protectorate.

Especially those tourists atop the city walls,

whose bicycle wheels nearly sparked as they pedaled furiously forward.

So much so that the fleeting glimpse of the Qingming Scroll was reduced to one comment: “This street exudes an intense ancient charm.”

And that was it!

The cultural forum hosted by Mingsha Tourism was already generating buzz, but with the Yeguang Cup revelation, it skyrocketed to trending topics—securing the top spot in no time.

It truly captured the nation’s attention and sparked widespread discussion.

This time, almost everyone online lauded Mingsha Tourism and the Su Province Cultural Relics Bureau, insisting that only when artifacts are displayed in their original settings can their unique allure and culture be fully appreciated—else, they’d lose that magic, becoming nothing but cold, solitary relics.

Haishi Eggplant TV

Cai An, staring at the trending topics on his computer, let out a long sigh, and the director across his desk wore the same expression.

They had been waiting for Mingsha Tourism’s big move these past few days.

Some believed the three earlier announcements were merely hype for the ancient architecture cultural forum, but they disagreed—if it were that simple, would it even be Mingsha Tourism?

A two-hour program is their ace in the hole?

Absolutely impossible! As expected,

today, the ultimate move finally emerged!

The moment it was revealed, it instantly wiped out all trending topics.

“I never expected the authorities to make such a decision.”

Snap back to reality,

Cai An couldn’t help but remark.

“Boss, since the authorities have made this decision, it means the rebuilt Protectorate is almost identical to its historical counterpart. Otherwise, such a prized artifact would have ended up in the Dragon Kingdom Museum.”

The channel director immediately added,

“Honestly, when I saw the news, my first reaction was to go check out the Yeguang Cup and the Protectorate!”

The film festival might only draw in movie star fans, but the Yeguang Cup captivates everyone—from those schooled in that famous poem to parents taking their kids along for a cultural treat.

The scales between the two are worlds apart.

“I still don’t know how Mingsha Tourism pulled it off! Luckily, we’re on Haofang Culture’s side this time; otherwise, we’d have been crushed.”

Cai An glanced at the clock on the wall.

Since Director Association’s Ding Xiaoping made that call, the close ties between Eggplant TV and the Director Association have dissolved. Although they haven’t officially parted ways, they’ve effectively gone separate paths.

However, he didn’t regret it—in fact, he felt somewhat fortunate.

To run a once-obscure traditional culture forum at this level is truly intimidating—such competition could give anyone nightmares.

“Boss, you were right to act decisively! Now, the film festival from the Director Association still hasn’t materialized. Western studios and attractions won’t take it on—they’re all afraid of following in Ning An Cultural Tourism’s footsteps.”

“There’s nothing we can do. If only Ran Xiangfei had listened to me back then, this mess wouldn’t be ours to sort out anymore.”

Cai An nodded and asked,

“Has our live team already gone over?”

“They already have! They should reach Mingsha by tomorrow morning. Plus, Haofang Culture called; once our live team is there, they’ll coordinate everything so we don’t have to worry.”

The director quickly added,

“That’s good!”

“Boss, this whole affair made me realize that Haofang Culture really knows what they’re doing. Working with them is a pleasure—no wonder Yan City TV is now their round-the-clock strategic partner.”

“Regardless, we’ve established connections with Mingsha Tourism. With proper follow-up, we should land a few projects.”

“Mm!”

“Now, get in touch with the live team again, have them discuss with Mingsha Tourism about filming the Protectorate. It might even serve as future program material.”

“Okay, Boss.”

Eggplant TV was in a similar state of amazement, and Yun Province TV wasn’t far behind—overall,

just as everyone thought Mingsha Tourism had unveiled its ultimate move for the ancient cultural forum, in Yan City

the Ancient Architecture Research Institute, along with Li Jue, Cao Jun, Liu Shan, and others, couldn’t help but murmur.

“What’s going on? Is this Xiao Xu’s big play? That doesn’t seem right!”

Snap back,

Liu Shan couldn’t help but say,

“Exactly, the Protectorate was completed long ago—it’s only being announced now. If this is their big move, what about months of non-stop construction, barely resting even during the New Year?”

Cao Jun expressed his doubts.

When the media first circulated various reports, he thought they had it wrong—there should have been an even bigger announcement!

Why put in so much effort for nothing?

“This is not as simple as it seems! We know exactly what kind of person Xiao Xu is.”

Liu Shan added.

“Let’s not rush. We’ll reach Mingsha by tomorrow morning, and once we see Xiao Xu, we can ask him and get the answers.”

On this end,

after a moment of thought, Li Jue spoke up.